Chicken owners open coop for tour

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Raleigh, N.C. — Twenty chicken owners in Raleigh opened their coops on Saturday for the annual Hen-side the Beltline Tour d’Coop event to benefit Urban Ministries.

Local chicken owners invited about 100 people into their backyards to view how they keep chickens in an urban environment. In previous years, chicken owners have said they raise the animals to teach children where food comes from.

Some have even said they keep the animals, because “chicken manure makes great compost,” according to the event’s web site.

Mark Andrews, known as The Chickenman, also made an appearance on the tour. The North Carolina State University graduate and his feathered friends have been featured on Animal Planet. His performances usually include a rooster riding a remote control truck.

Admission for the event was a non-perishable food or cash donation to Raleigh Urban Ministries.

Last year’s event collected 1,500 pounds of food and more than $2,000 for Urban Ministries.